Electric-arc lamp



Feb. 15,1927. 7,634

J. A. HEANY ELECTRIC ARC LAMP Original Filed 11, 1917 Patented F eb. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES oin; ALLEN HEANY, or new YORK, N.

Y., Assnmoa 'ro HEANY" LABORATORIES,

INC., OF.NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION-0F CONNEGTIGUT.

ELECTRlIC-ARC LAMP.

Application filed J'une' 11, 1917; Serial Nof 174,101. Renewed June as, 1925.

The invention relates to electric arc lam s operating on .very low wattages and at t e ordinary commercial voltages, and maintaining high efiiciencies even in the smaller sizes ranging as low as ten or fifteen candle pow er'. To this end,'the invention comprises a lamp, involving a containeror envelope,

'greferably adapted for connection'inthe orinary incandescent lamp socket and containing an inert gas, (preferably under d1- minishedl pressure, an two electrodes, between which an arc is established andmaintained', connected to suitable lead wires, at

least one of which electrodes comprises a rod or tube of highly refractory oxide provided with a coil or filament of highly refractory metallic wire wound thereon or imbedded therein, said electrodehaving a terminal. formed of a second class conductor, which becomes conductive when heated, and to which the refractory wire aforesaid is connected, said electrodes being associated with a shunt or by-pass normally bridging the terminals, which shunt is adapted to be openedor broken, by suitable means, pref-' erably a thermostat, which operates when suflicient heat is developed, to separate the electrodes to properarcing distance and also to move the separable contacts of the shunt apart. A

In the'accompanying drawings, a Fig. 1 illustrates a lamp involving the invention.

Fig. '2 is a fragmentary T modification thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the globeor bulb of the lamp, which is preferably inthe form usually employed in incandescent filament lamps, adapted for the usual socket connection, which bulb is exhausted of air and supplied with an inertgas, such as nitrogen, argon, or the like, preferably under diminished pressure. The bulb is provided with the usual form of glass neck 1' in'which are mounted'thev usual lead wires,

to one of which is connecteda conducting and supporting wire 2, to the lower end of which is attached one of the electrodes by means of a clamp 2 attached to the lower end of the supporting wire 2. Said electrode comprises a rodjor tube 3 of highly refractory material, such, for example, as thoria or zirconia, which electrode isnon-conducting at ordinary temperature of the lamp, but

view showing a which becomes conductive at the temperature of incandescence. Associated with said electrode 3 is a wire helix 7 of highly refractory metah'such'as tungsten, tungsten alloy or the like, which helix is either. closely wound around the element 3 or imbedded therein,

and which is connected at one end to the supgeouslybe, composed of a mixture of refractory oxides, such, for'example, as thoria and yttria or ZIICODlfl and yttria. The'electrode highly heated. This terminal may advanta-.

3 is formed by mixing powdered oxides with a dissipating binder, moulding it into the desired form and then driving ed the binder by heat. The terminal 4 is formed in much the same way but is made with a depression ofthe same cross-section as the electrode. The terminal is then placed over the electrode 4 and fusedthereto in an electric are,- the end of. the electrode being inserted in the depression. v j

The inner end of the helix 7 is also connected by a wire 10 havin on its end a terminal 12 which coacts wit a similar terminal 13 connected to a wire 11, which latter in turn is connected to the opposite electrode, between which and the electrode heretofore described the arc is maintained. Said'op'podescribed, to wit, a tube or rod 5 of retrace. tory non-conducting oxidewlth a terminal site electrode may be formed like that first of second class conductingmaterial 6 and a highly refractory metallic helix 7" associated therewith and connected at its inner end to the terminal 6 and-to the'wire 11. 1 This electrode is preferably-supported by means of a clamp 16 carried by a stiff wire 17 which is fused to the lower end of a ther1no stat 8,the upper end of which is cemented in the glass neck 1 and connected by "a suitable lead 9 to the other terminal of the lamp.

' Instead of constructing the two electrodes of similar materials, one ofthem may be formed of ayhighly refractory metal, such as tungsten or tungsten alloy, in which case,

the electrode would be made of proper form and supported from one or the other of the conductors, preferably the thermostat 8.

The operation of the lamp as described is other terminal of the lamp. The immediate as follows: Current-enters byway of lead 2, passes through the refractory meta-l helix 7 towire 10, contacts 12 and 13, wire 11, helix 7 thermostat 8, lead 9, back to the render the same first class conductors. The

i and 'luminants, but also constitute ballast heating of these elements ionizes the gas surrounding the terminals sufiic1ently tosupport an electric arc therebetween. The heat thus generated causes the thermostat 8 to operate and move the electrode connected thereto away from the opposite electrode to establish theproper arcing, distance between the terminals 4 and 6, This movement of the thermostat also causes the contact 13 to move away from contact 12 and break the circuit through the shunt around the terminals formed bywire 10, contacts 12 and 13, and wirell, so that, the are having been established,..the entire current flows between the terminals 4 and 6, as will be understood. When the current is turned off,

the thermostat immediately resumes its normal position, bringing the contacts 12 and 13 into engagement to reestablish the shunt or by-pas's around the terminals 4'and 6.

It will be noted that the refractory wire helix orhelixes serve not only as heaters forfthe arc and are effective in actuating the-thermostat by radiated heat and rendering the terminals ,4 and 6 conductive by means of the-heat conveyed thereto by the refractory bodies 3 and 5.- In the. modification shown in Fig. 2, a resistance is interposed in the shunt or by- ,pass around the terminals 4 and 6, which .resistanceis designed to compensate for the voltage of-the arc, and is cut out when the contacts 12 and 13 are separated, after the arc has-been established. Said resistance. ispreferably formed of a helix 14 of highly refractory wire, suchas tungsten,.mounted upon a refractory, oxide support 15 and therefore serves as an additional heating element to heat the terminals 4 and 6, to ionize the gas surrounding said terminals and to actuate the thermostat 8. The support 15 carried by the supporting wires 18- which are fused into the stem of the lamp,- while thecontact 13 is supported by means of another spud .wire 19 carried-by the thermostat but which is insulated therefrom.

" Although the electrodes are shown ,sep- Y arated, it is obvious that they maybe normally in contact when no current lsflowing in the lamp and will be moved apart to proper, arcing distance by'the operation of the thermostat when the current is supplied. 4

cation, Serial Number 174,100, filed June '11, 1917, for electric arc lamps, and said invention is claimed broadly in said copending application.

' What I claim is 1. An arc lamp comprising a container,

electrodes therein, at least one of which is.

formed of a highly refractory non-conducting oxide associated with a highly refractory metallic wire which incandesces at the temperature at which platinum volatilizes and having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second class connected tosaid wire, a normally closed shunt around said terminal, and means adapted to break the shunt when the terminal is heated sufliciently to become conductive.

formed of a highly refractory non-conduct- 2. Au arc lamp comprising a container, electrodes therein, at least one of whlch'is mg oxide associated with a highly refracr tory metallic wire which incandesces at the temperature at which platinum volatilizes and having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second class connected to said wire,

a normally closed shunt around said terminal, and a thermostat adapted to break the shunt when the terminal is heated sutficiently tobecomev conductive.

3. An arc lamp comprising a container, electrodes therein, at least one of which is formed of a highly refractory non-conducting oxide closely surrounded-by a helix of highly refractory metallic wire which incandesces at the temperature at which plati-' nuin. volatilizes and having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second class connected to said Wire, a normally closed shunt around said terminal, and a thermostat adapted to ,move one of 'saidelectrodes away from the other and break the shunt when'thekterminal is heated sufiiciently tobecome conductive.

4. An arc lamp comprising a container electrodes therein, at least-one of. which is of-rod-like form of highly refractory oxidehaving a helix of highly refractory metallic wire which incandesces at the temperature atwhich platinum volatilizes closely asso ciated therewith and having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second'class connected to said helix, circuitconnections, oneof which connections includes a thermostat adapted to separate the electrode to proper farci'ng distance, and a separable shunt around the terminal, whichis broken by the separating movement. of the electrodes. v

I 5. An arc lamp comprising a container, electrodes therein, at least one-of which is formed of a highly refractory, non-conducting oxide associated with a refractory metal nections for said'electrodes.

' 7. An arc lamp comprising a container, electrodes therem, at least one QfSBld electrodes comprising a non-conductlveportlon of highly-refractory oxide having a terminal formedof a conductor of the second class, a wire of a metal which incandesces at the temperature at which platinum volatiliz'es associated with said electrode and connected to said terminal, and circuit connections including said w1re.- l

- 8. An arc lamp comprising a container, electrodes therein, at least one of saidcelectrodes comprising a non-conductive portion of highly-refractory oxide having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second class,

a wire of metal which incandesces at the temperature at which platinum volatilizes associated with said electrode and connected to said terminal, circuit connections including saidwire, a normally-closed shunt around said terminal, means to break the shunt when the'terminal is heated suflicien tr.

, 1y to become conductive.-

9. An arc lamp compr sing a container, electrodes therein. each electrode comprising a non-conductive portion of highly-re-- fractory oxide having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second classjawire of metal which incandesces at the temperature at which platinum volatilizes coiled about."

a base, coneach body and connected to its terminal and circuit connections includ' said'wires.

10. An arc'lamp comprisin a container,

electrodes therein, each electro e comprising;

a non-conductive portion of highly-refract'ery oxide having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second class, 'awire of metal which incandesces at the temperature at which platinum volatilizes coiled about each body and connected to its terminal, circuit connections including said wirea a normally-closed shunt around said terminals, and means to break the shunt when the terminals are heated suflicien'tly to become conductive. I 11. An arc lamp comprisin electrodes therein, each electr e comprising 1 acontainer,

a non-conductive portion of highly-refractory oxide having a terminal formed of a conductor of the second class, a wire of metal which in'candesces at the tem rature at which platinum volatilizes coil about each body and connected to its terminal, circuit connections including said wires, a normallyclosed shunt around said terminals, and

shunt including aresistance, and means to-- break the shunt when the terminals areheated sufliciently to become conductive.

12. An arc lamp comprisin a container, electrodes therein, each elect e comprising a non-conductive portion of hi hly-refractory oxide having a' terminal ormed of a conductor ofthe second class, a wire of metal which incandesces at the tem llv-closedshunt around said terminals, said shunt including a metallic wire coiled about a non-conductive core of highly refractory oxide, and means to break e shunt when rature at, which platinum volatilizes coil about each 80 body and connected to its terminal, circuit 1' connections including, said wires, a normal the terminals are heated. sufliciently to be-.

come conductive. h {I a testimon w ereo m si ture. Jomi ALLEN hnfir. 

